Can opening apparatus



Oct. 3, 1961 B. L. SMITH ET AL 3,002,652

CAN OPENING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l '71 I T I A l I; I

l=='=='==" l M I INVENTORS,

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{ fi g v 50 BY v-MAM I: ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 3, 1961 B. L. SMITH ET AL 3, 0

CAN OPENING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H F I G. 5

I 6 I WEWM 1/0 /5 55 INVENTORS, BARRY LSMITH,

WILLIAM E. GUNDELFINGER.

3,002,652 CAN GPENING APPARATI JS Barry L. Elmith, Overland, and William E. Gundelfinger, House Springs, Mo. (both The Dazey' Corp.,4301 Warns Ave, St. Louis, Mo.)

Filed Jan. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 707,921

8 tillairns. (Cl. 221-96) The present invention relates to improvements in can openers, and more particularly to a commercial unit for opening cans and for dispensing table articles, such as spoons and naplrins. The device of our invention is especially useful in self-service eating establishments as an adjunct to machines for vending hot canned foods.

The principal object of the invention is to provide aun-it jjtates Patent G of the character described embodying improved means for v maintaining the opener mechanism in a clean and sanitary" condition at all times. The improvements include novel provisions for inducing a user to perform certain con: eluding operations after the can has been openedand and make a sanitary disposition of the severed can top.

Another object is to combine in a novel andimproving manner apparatus for dispensing articles with means for sanitizing a can opener and maintaining it in sanitary con.- dition.

3,002,652 retested Ge 3, 61.

wall 20 of section 10 is provided with a rectangular open? ing 21, and the'top wall 22 is provided with a similar opening 23 contiguous to opening 21, the said openings being substantially co-extensive with the front and top areas of the compartment 19, so as to afford full and corivenient access to the interior.

The compartment 19 is provided with a closure member or door 24comprising top and front portions 25' and 2 6. These door portions are rigidly secured together in right angular relation, as best appears in FIG. 2, by means in.- cluding the triangular corner brackets 27. They are pref, erably equipped with windows 23 of transparent glass or plastic. The door assembly is mounted for vertical swinging movement about the horizontal axis of a hinge asserns bly 29 on the top wall 22 of the cabinet section. A anipulating knob or handle 30 is provided on the front panel of the said door.

The outer side wall 31 of section it has a recess 32 b (FIG. 2) extending downwardly from the top edge of the 20 removed from the machine, whereby to rinse the pitcher seetion to accommodate the hub collar 33 of a removable opener assembly 34. This assembly includes a generally rectangular frame plate 35 whose vertical side edges are adapted to be slidably received in opposed vertical Another object is achieved in novel provisions that per-,

mit the opener mechamsm to be readily removed as for purposes of sterilization and repair, bnt. only by author: ized persons.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent durihg the course of the following description.

in the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is atop plan view of can opening apparatusemr bodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the said apparatus,

With the cabinet door shown in open position;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view or the said apparatus, a portion of the front wall being broken away for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the side of the apparatus opposite to that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG; 5 is a sectional view on a larger scale, taken at'a plane indicated by line 5--5, FlG.3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional viewtaken cated by line 56 of PEG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at a plane at aplane indiindicated by line 7-7? of FIG. '5.

Referring now by numerals of reference to the drawings a cabinet structure shown in thevarious figures is separated into two principal sections or compartments 10 and 11, connected together by a vertical hinge 12 at the front of the cabinet. The larger section 10' houses the can opening mechanism and the elements constituting the sanitary system of the unit. The lesser cabinet section 11 encloses means for dispensing table articles, in the present example, spoons and napkins. Access to the interior of each section 19 and i1 is had by swinging the cabinet sec tions apart on hinge 12. Looking means indicated at 13 on the outer wall 14 of section 11, of keyaactuated type, prevents access to the interior by unauthorized persons. A vertical partition wall 15 (FlG. 5) separating the sections iii and 11 is swingably mgunted on the hinge 12. Edge flanges id of this partition nest Within the end margins of section 11, so that partition 15 constitutes an end wall for that section. i

The section 15* is divided internally by vertical partition members 17 and 18 that define the side and rear Walls respectively of a can opening compartment, designated top thereof to be severed by a rotatable cutter element 38.

Drive wheel 37, a crank 39 for turning it, and cutter 38 are mounted on the frame plate 35. Means not shown herein, are provided for shifting one of the said wheels toward and away from the other in keeping with practices well known in the can opener art. 0i value to the present invention is the construction which permits the opener to be removed from the cabinet as a unit, by sliding it vertically out of the guideways 3-6 for periodic sterilization, or for any necessary repair. Also of importance is the provision of means for dealing with the can tops after they have been severed from the can body.

The :opener unit is equipped with a means for ternporarilyholding the can tops after they have been removed consisting, in the present example, of a magnet assembly 40 one bracket 41 that projects laterally from the frame plate 35. After the can top has been severed it is attracted to and held by the magnet it? when the body of the can is withdrawn from the opener compartment 19. Detachment of the can top from the magnet is effected by a Wire arm member 42 secured to the top panel 2rd of the compartment closure 24. When the closure 24 is swung to closed position arm 42 is caused to strike the can top and displace it from the magnet. The top or lid then gravitates through the open bottom or the compartment arid into a receptacle 43 supported on the bottom 44 of the cabinet section iii. The arm 42 serves the additional purpose of precluding complete closure of the compartment door 24 prior to removal of thecan from the compartment. As will hereinafter appear the closing of the compartment door actuates mechanismfor projecting a stream or spray of fluid onto-the cutting wheel of the opener. It is desirable that this cleaning step be deferred until after the top has been detached and the can removed from the compartment. Until the can is removed from the opener the top is not free to be displaced downwardly by the arm or guard member 42 and it acts as an obstruction to closure of the door. Consequently until the can is removed irgrrr the. compartment the door cannot be closed.

The cabinet is Provided with means for preventing unauthorized removal of the opener assembly. As" has been heretofore described, the hub part 33 of the opener extends transversely through the wall opening 32 (FIG. 2), and the unit is removed by displacing it upwardly, so that the hub part passes outwardly through the mouth of that opening. The mouth at the upper end of wall opening 32 is normally closed by a wall insert piece 45 (FIG. which normally is locked in place by a slide bar 47. Member 47 is mounted immediately below the horizontal top plate 22 of cabinet section 19 for horizontal sliding movement in a suitable guide member 49. It is adapted to be shifted forwardly to engage the insert piece 45 which then cannot be lifted out of place to permit of removal of the opener unit. The rear end 51 of the looking bar is bent to facilitate its manipulation into and out of a locking position.

The cabinet space behind the can opening compartment 19 accommodates the means for cleaning the can opener parts. Such means include a supply reservoir for cleaning fluid, in the present example comprising a glass jar 55. A pump 56 has an intake fitting 57 connected to the fluid supply by a flexible hose 58, and has a discharge fitting 59 connected by a hose 60 to a discharge nozzle 61 that extends through the back wall 18 of the can opening compartment, for projecting a jet stream or spray of fluid toward the feed and cutting members 37 and 38 of the can opener.

The fluid projecting device 56 desirably consists of a simple diaphragm type pump. This device is mounted on a bracket 62 (FIG. 6) and includes an elastic diaphragm 63 that extends across an interior chamber of the pump. A piston rod 64, secured at its inner end to the center of diaphragm 63, has an upturned terminal lip 65 which is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a lever 66 fulcrumed on a pivot pin 67. The upper end of lever 66 is positioned for engagement and rearward actuation by a roller 68 carried by an arm 69 fixed to the panel 26 of the door, the arm 69 projecting into the cab inet through an opening in the top wall.

The operation of the pump unit is as follows: Closing the door 24 moves the roller 68 rearwardly causing it to turn lever 66 counterclockwise (FIG. 6). Such lever movement continues until roller 68 passes beyond the end of the lever, freeing the lever therefrom and allowing it to return to its initial position. Counterclockwise lever movement as foresaid draws the piston rod 64 and the center of the elastic diaphragm 63 forwardly or outwardly. Fluid is thereby sucked into the pump chamber through a check valve (not shown) in inlet fitting 57. A second check valve (not shown) closes the discharge port of the pump during the aforesaid intake stroke of the pump.

Lever 66 is released from the arm 69 as the door approaches its fully closed position. The diaphragm then springs back to its normal position, forcing fluid through the discharge passage, and causing a stream or spray to be forcibly ejected from nozzle 61 toward the can opener parts to effect a thorough rinsing of the same. The spent fluid drains into the receptacle 43. The described pump operates to discharge fluid only in response to closing movement of the compartment door. The lost-motion connection between lever 66 and pump rod 64 allows the door to be opened without effecting the pump.

The cabinet section 11 affords space for means for dispensing table articles, in the present example spoons and napkins. A vertical spoon magazine 70, FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, is fabricated from sheet metal and includes a rec. tangular, generally tubular portion 71 designed to receive in nested relation the bowl parts of a stack of spoons, indicated at 72. The handles 73 of the spoons are held in alignment between spaced walls 74 of the magazine, the upper and lower ends of which are open. The magazine is mounted on the partition wall 15 by the vertical bracket 75 (FIG. 5), which bracket terminates at its lower end in a horizontal shelf 76 that projects away from the partition 15 and is in underlying relation to the spoon handles '73. The lowermost spoon in the stack is sup- 4 ported by the said shelf, and also by an inturned lip 77 (FIG. 7).

Spoons are dispensed from the magazine by displacing the lowermost one laterally from the stack. Shelf 76 is spaced below the lower end of the magazine 70 a distance slightly larger than the thickness of the spoon handle and carries an ejector plate 78 which slides on the shelf 76 in a direction transversely to the axis of the spoons. When in a relatively retracted position the lowermost spoon rests directly on shelf 76. When moved forwardly the ejector plate 78 engages the edge of the lowermost spoon and slides it laterally, displacing it from the stack, which then becomes supported on the ejector plate. The dispensed spoon drops to a sloping platform 79 adjacent an access opening 80 in the side wall 14 of the cabinet which is normally closed by a transparent door.

Movement of the ejector plate 78 to dispense a spoon is correlated with closing movement of the door 24 of the can opening compartment. A lever rod 91, FIG. 5, has an intermediate, vertical extending fulcrum portion 92 mounted for rotation in the vertically spaced bearing members 93. Lever 91 is bent to provide a horizontal arm portion 94 that projects through a slot 95 in the side wall 17 of can opening compartment 19. Lever arm 94 pro jeots into the can opening compartment and normally extends across the entrance thereto. It is required to be displaced rearwardly to the position shown by broken lines, FIG. 5, in order to gain access to the parts 37 and 38 of the can opener. In practice the lever arm 94 is caused to be displaced by the user in the course of placing a can into the can opening device. It acts as a guide to assist the user-in inserting the rim of the can between the feeding and cutting wheels of the opener.

The lower part of lever rod 91 constitutes a. lever arm 96-that extendsthrough a horizontal slot 97 (FIG. 7) in partition wall 15. The arm 96 terminates in an elongated crook 98, between whose relatively straight side parts is slidingly disposed a downwardly projecting follower knob 99. The follower knob 99 is fixed to theslidable spoon ejector plate 78, the stem 100 of such knob projecting vertically through a slot 101 in the shelf part 76. By the described arrangement rearward displacement of lever arm 94 retracts the spoon ejector plate 78 and subsequent forward movement moves the ejector plate outwardly to displace a spoon from the magazine. The forward or dispensing stroke of lever 91 is induced by a spring 102 that encircles the vertical part 92 of the lever.

The dispensing lever 91 is adapted to be held in the retracted position shown in broken lines in FIG. 5, against the action of spring 102 by the detent lever 103 (FIG. 6) which is pivoted for vertical movement on a pin 104. A notched rear end portion 105 of the said detent is adapted to engage the dispenser lever arm 94 and hold it in a retracted position. A forwardly projecting arm 106 of said detent projects through a slot 107 in the front wall 20 of the cabinet for abutment by the compartment door 24 as the latter approaches its closed position. As best appears in FIG. 6, the projecting nose 106 of the detent is arranged to be pressed inwardly by the closing front door of the compartment to cause a lifting of the rear portion of the detent. Such action releases the lever 91 and allows it to swing forwardly under the influence of its spring 102, causing it to displace a spoon from the magazine as has been explained.

Space in compartment 11 behind the spoon dispensing apparatus described is occupied by napkin dispensing means of a conventional type, including a backing plate 110 which is constantly urged forwardly by a spring 111 to press a stack of paper-napkins 112 between the said plate and an apertured outer wall portion of the compartment. In the present device the napkin dispenser is not operatively connected to other apparatus in the cabinet.

The operation of the unit is as follows: The user swings open the door to the can opening compartment 19 and introduces the of the can between the feeding-and-cutting wheels 37 and $8. In so doing he is required to displace rear wardly the bar or lever arm $4. Such action retracts the spoon dispensing plate 78 which, with the lever 91, becomes held by detent 103 in a retracted position against the action of spring 102.

With the compartment door remaining open the crank 39 of the can opener device is manually operated by the user to effect a complete severence of the can top which then becomes suppc'irted by the magnet bracket 40-41. Following the opening operation the body of the can is withdrawn from the compartment, leaving the top adhering to the magnetic bracket. Pursuant to printed instructions on the cabinet the user, in order to obtain a spoon, will swing the compartment door 24 to closed position which will displace "the severed ean top from the magnet and cause it to drop into the receptacle 43. Continued closing movement of the door cocks and subsequently trips the actuating arm 6; for the fluid pump 56, producing a stream of fluid to be ejected fromnozzle 61 toward the cutting an feedin wheels he can Opener me anism, thereby eflecting a thorough cleansing of those parts. The latter step is arranged to occur as the cabinet door approaches closed position so that the cleaning fluid will be confined to the interior of the can opening compartment. Lastly, the closing door trips the detent 103 causing release of lever 91 which, under the influence of spring 1'92, swings forwardly and ejects a spoon from the spoon magazine. The spoon then drops to the sloping platform 79 and it may be removed through the side opening 80. The can opening compartment will ordinarily remain closed when not in use to exclude dirt and insects.

in the preferred form of the invention described herein the door 24 for the can opening compartment 19 controls the operation of three distinct agencies. Thus, the bracket 42 displaces a severed can top from the magnetic holder 40, the arm 69 actuates the fluid projector 56, and the detent 103 releases the operating arm 94 for the dispensing device, all in response to closing movement of the compartment door.

Whereas, there are certain advantages resulting from the recited method for controlling the operation of the several described agencies, it is not essential that the member which initiates them be the compartment door. It is desirable, however, to provide an operative connection between the dispensing apparatus and the rinsing means; also that rinsing of the opener and discharge of the severed top occur after the can is removed from the opener, and that the compartment be left in closed condition at the completion of the operation. The means of the present invention achieve these desirable purposes.

means operatively interconnecting said door with said fluid discharge means and said article dispensing means for actuating said fluid discharge means and said article dispensing means responsive to closing movement of said door. i

3. Can opening apparatus comprising a cabinet formed to provide a can opening compartment therein, can opening means in said compartment, closure means on said cabinet adapted to provide access to said compartment and to said can opening means, means on said closure means adapted to engage the can to prevent closure of said closure menas when a can is disposed in said compartment, means for discharging a stream of fluid to rinse said can opening means, and means connecting said fiuid discharge means with said closure means for operation responsive to closing movement of said closure means when the can is removed from said compartment.

4. In a can opening apparatus, a cabinet having partition means therein defining a can opening compartment, a door closing said compartment, can opening means in said compartment, means in said cabinet for dispensing articles, a control member for said dispensing means, said control member extending into said said can opening compartment and adapted for displacement from an initial position when a can is introduced therein for attachment to said can opening means, a spring tending to return said member to its said initial position, and a detent holding said control member in its said displaced position, said detent engaging said door to release said control member when the door is moved to a. closed position so as to actuate said dispensing means.

5. Can opening apparatus comprising a cabinet formed to provide a can opening compartment therein, closure means for said compartment, can opening means in said campartment, means on said closure means. adapted to engage the can to prevent closure of said closure means when a can is disposed in said compartment, means for discharging a stream or" fluid to rinse said can opening means, means connecting said fluid discharge means with said closure means for operation responsive to closing movement of said closure means when the can is re moved from said compartment, article-dispensing means in said cabinet, and means connecting said dispensing means with said closure means for operation of said article-dispensing means responsive to closing movement of said closure means after the can is removed from said compartment.

6. In a can-opening apparatus of the character described, a cabinet providing a can-openin compartment therein, can-opening means in said compartment, a door for said compartment, article dispensing means on said,

-eabinet including an. operating member extending into It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the form and arrangement of parts and their assemblies described by way of example herein, with out departing fr vention. We claim:

In the spirit and intendment of the in- 1. In can opening apparatus, a cabinet having eontiguous access openings in the top and front of said cabinet, a closure for said openings including top and front panels, means rigidly connecting said panels together, means mounting said panels for vertical hinging movement on the cabinet, a can; opening assembly mounted on a side wall of the cabinet, said assembly including means for temporarily retaining a detached can top thereon, an arm attached to and projecting from said closure adapted to engage and remove a can top from the can opening assembly, and a receptacle in said cabinet adapted to receive the removed can top.

2. Can opening apparatus comprising a cabinet having therein means for opening cans, means for discharging a stream of fluid to rinse said can opening means, and means for dispensing articles, a door on said cabinet adapted to provide access to said can opening means, and

said can-opening compartment, said member being movable by a can when the can is moved into said compar tment into can-opening position therein so as to cock the article dispensing means, a retaining means connected" to said article dispensing means and holding said article dispensing means in the cocked position, and a biasing means tending to return the article dispensing means to its initial position, said door engaging said retaining means to release said article dispensing means when the door is closed after removing the can from said compartment so that the biasing means actuates said article dispensing means.

7. In a can opener, a cabinet providing a can-opening compartment therein, can-opening means in said cons partment, a door for said compartment, means in said compartment adapted to rinse the can opener means located in said compartment including a fluid projecting device, article dispensing means on said cabinet, an operating member extending into said can-opening compartment, said member being movable by a can when the can is moved into said compartment into can-opening position therein so as to cock the article dispensing means, a retaining means connected to said article dispensing means and holding said article dispensing means in the cocked position, and a biasing means tending to return the article dispensing means :to its initial position, said door engaging said retaining means to release said article dispensing means when the door is closed after removing the can from said compartment so that the biasing means actuates said article dispensing means, said fluid projecting device being connected to said door for actuating said fluid projecting device When the door is closed.

8. In a can opening apparatus, a cabinet providing a can opener compartment, a closure for said compartment, can-opening means in said compartment, article dispensing means in said cabinet, control means for said article dispensing means including a first member extending into said compartment adjacent to said can-opening means so as to be moved in response to the placement of a can in said compartment for attachment to said can-opening means, and a second member operatively connected with said closure and latching said first member in the moved position, means tending to bias said first member to its initial position, and means on said closure adapted to engage the can when a can is disposed in said compartment to prevent closing "of said closure, said closure releasing said first member so that said biasing means actuates said article dispensing means when the can is removed'from said compartment and the closure is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 755,001 Henderson Mar. 22, 1904 1,689,571 West Oct. 30, 1928 1,743,092 Bereck Jan. 14, 1930 1,849,145 Illig et al. Mar. 15, 1932 2,017,829 Cave Oct. 15, 1935 2,363,724 Ford Nov. 28, 1944- 2,583,034 Wibling Jan. 22, 1952 2,603,858 Bruce et a1. July 22, 1952 2,633,959 Von Stoeser Apr. 7, 1953 2,771,263 Boho Nov. 20, 1956 2,840,900 Mullich July 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 668,023 France .Tuly'l, 1929 

